World Report

Malta is changing its strategy in an effort to sweeten up its tourist package

Visitors to Malta can experience 7000 years of history in 316 square kilometres.

alta’s carrying capacity for tourism with its current infrastructure is around 1.5 million, says Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud, executive chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA). Given that neighbouring countries in the Mediterranean such as Turkey can compete in tourism with more space and lower wages and running costs, Malta needs to expand its industry not through quantity, but through quality. This means enhancing and developing the country’s assets such as its cultural heritage, and exploiting new kinds of tourist activity.

The MTA was established in 1999 to cover marketing, product planning and development, enforcement and human resources development within the tourism sector. It has recently restructured, creating seven segments to target different areas: summer and winter sun leisure, history and culture, meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE), English as a foreign language, sports tourism, and Gozo-based holidays. Also under way is a strategy to rebrand Malta using three key concepts: heritage, hospitality and diversity. But the main objective, shared by the Ministry of Tourism and by businesses in the industry, is to carry on increasing standards, both in services and in products offered.

Cultural heritage continues to be Malta’s most saleable asset. Where else, asks Minister of Tourism Francis Zammit Dimech, can one experience 7000 years of history in the space of 316 square kilometres? (see interview below). In addition, promoting this kind of tourism can also be a key factor in extending the high season to the winter months. “Many people who travel because of cultural heritage do not particularly want to see the sights under the scorching sun,” says Mr Zammit.

Situated on the grounds of a 19th century Maltese Villa on the seafront of the picturesque Balluta Bay, the five-star, 276-bedroom Le Meridien St Julians represents quality and culture. According to general manager Benjamin Sington, the hotel chain is very European in its devotion to fashion, arts and music. “We stand for discovery, culture and that which is chic. In this hotel, although my guests are here on holiday, they are not here just for the sun, they are also here for the culture,” he states.

Malta is expanding its industry through quality, not quantity

Minister Zammit Dimech has emphasised the need for a five-star infrastructure and environment to complement five-star facilities such as Le Meridien, and has stressed that the government will continue with its commitment to invest in Malta’s historical heritage.

‘We are driving tourism on a segment-based approach’

Francis Zammit Dimech
Minister of Tourism

‘Malta is vibrant, modern, and entertaining- an active country full of culture and events’

What makes Malta different from other tourist destinations?
Malta is a country where you can experience 7000 years of history within a relatively small area. You can see a Stone Age megalithic site and then walk to a Roman era house, or even discover the legacy of the Knights of St John. It is also important to point out that this is a very safe environment. Furthermore, English is the second official language, something which not only benefits British visitors but most other Europeans. It is not only a question of communicating with local people in English, but of being able to read the press or follow the news. Malta is also modern and vibrant, with countless nightlife and entertainment options. Besides visiting our cultural heritage sites, people can attend a myriad of events and be a part of a country that is very active.

How do you see the tourism industry developing in 2006?
What we will be doing over the course of this year is driving tourism on a much more segment-based approach as opposed to emphasising only the source market. One exception will be the UK, as one third of all our visitors are British, making it our largest source market. We will keep our full MTA offices in the UK and in Germany. But having said that, we will be asking ourselves not just: “Where do the tourists come from?”, but also: “Why have they come to Malta?” And our tourism strategy will be a reflection of that.

One of the issues affecting the tourism industry is that around 95 per cent of visitors arrive by air. What is being done to make Malta more accessible?
We are open to low-cost carriers operating to and from Malta if they wish to do so. There is no protectionist policy in place to make this difficult. The real issue is whether Malta should offer some kind of discount or support to come closer to the operating cost at which they wish to come. We have already identified the industry growth areas, which include the Iberian Peninsula and Switzerland, but we are also discussing schemes which will make the more lucrative routes, such as UK – Malta or Germany – Malta, more attractive to low-cost carriers.

An ideal conference venue

Malta is looking to develop areas to extend the tourist season. One option is sports tourism. Athletes and sportspeople could take advantage of the sports infrastructures during the colder months.

Christophe Laure
General Manager Intercontinental Hotel

‘Joining the EU has brought Malta more exposure’

Another very important and lucrative option is conference and incentives tourism, which takes place in the winter. Malta has already shown that it is capable of handling large events. Last November, the country hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), with an attendance of more than 40 heads of government.
The key ingredient to promoting such segments is target marketing and enhancing market perception, something the MTA is now tackling head on with its new branding policy.

“How are we perceived abroad?” asks Christophe Laure, general manager of the Intercontinental Hotel, which opened three years ago. “The British see Malta as a sunny summer destination, the French tend to perceive our cultural aspect, and think of us as a place to organize conferences.”

With 451 rooms and 5,000 square metres of conference space, the hotel is perfectly situated to promote the MICE sector, and is targeting the conferences segment. “We have joined the EU which has brought Malta more exposure, and business in general is growing because of this,” adds Mr Laure, noting that markets such as Spain are now becoming just as important as the French or the British.

Air Malta, the nation’s airline, works with the MTA in promoting Malta overseas. By increasing the number and destinations of its flights, keeping fares competitive, and introducing e-booking and e-ticketing, the company is helping to ensure that the flow of visitors does not wane.